The 78th annual Blessing of the Fleet in Provincetown
Left: Bishop da Cunha blesses the fleet under sunny skies on Sunday, June 29, in Provincetown. The annual event began with a special Mass for the local fishermen and fisherwomen, coinciding this year with the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. (St. Peter was a fisherman). A procession to the docks followed Mass with the statue of Saint Peter along with banners of the many local fishing boats. The St. Peter statue was blessed, along with all the banners, and secured on the lead boat of the procession of boats to be blessed by the Bishop. Assisting the Bishop is Father Philip N. Hamel, Pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Provincetown.
Photo credit: Deacon Alan Thadeu
Catholic Guild For the Blind provides spiritual connection across
Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond
By Joan D. Warren Editor joandwarren@anchornews.org
A Spiritual Oasis: How the Xavier Society’s Rosary Group Builds Community in the Diocese of Fall River and Beyond
FALL RIVER — For visually impaired Catholics in Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond, spiritual connection is just a phone call away.
Thanks to the Catholic Guild for the Blind, a local ministry of Catholic Charities of Fall River and under the patronage of St. Margaret of Castella, who was blind and had multiple disabilities, those living with vision loss can access a faith-filled community that offers prayer, reflection, and fellowship in a format that’s both accessible and welcoming. Meeting by phone on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 7:00 p.m., the Guild hosts a bi-monthly Rosary group that blends tradition with meaningful conversation. With no
internet or smartphone required, participants simply dial 1-774-462-3143 and enter access code 8916.
The first Thursday of each month is reserved for a traditional Rosary, while the third Thursday features a scriptural Rosary and often welcomes guest speakers. All are welcome to join.
This simple local effort — powered by the voices of the faithful in cities like Fall River and New Bedford — has taken on renewed significance in 2025, as the Xavier Society for the Blind, the national organization supporting the Guild, celebrates its 125th anniversary of service.
When participants call in, a quiet yet powerful connection begins to form. Over a dozen voices from places within the Diocese of Fall River and beyond join in — not just to speak, but to pray. It begins with thirty sacred minutes praying the Rosary together — often followed by intentions for fellow members like Bob Branco of New Bedford, age 67, or Amara
Pina, also of New Bedford, who, at 82, finds deep comfort in the group’s companionship, especially after losing her brother and sister.
For many, like Karen Crowder of Leominster and Rachael, a guide dog user who joined in 2021, the call is more than a prayer meeting — it’s a community. Rachael recalls recognizing the voices of people she had known from her days at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts — a shared connection that dates back to the 1960s and ’70s. “It’s comforting,” she says. “It feels like coming home.”
Rose Mary Saraiva, a facilitator from the Diocese of Fall River, has been part of the group for over a year. She often begins the post-Rosary portion with a short spiritual reflection — a Lectio Spiritus — inviting everyone to share how it speaks to their heart. From there, conversation flows: about faith, struggles, joys, and sometimes just about life.
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Happy Independence Day, America
Strengthening the Mission: Parish
Council Workshops aim to empower laity and support priests across the Diocese of Fall River
By Joan D. Warren Editor joandwarren@anchornews.org
FALL RIVER — In response to the growing challenges faced by parish priests, the Diocese of Fall River has launched a series of regional workshops designed to strengthen parish councils and equip lay leaders with tools to better support their pastors. The initiative unfolded over the past month and reflects a renewed emphasis on collaboration between clergy and laity during a time of shifting realities within the Church.
As lay advisory bodies, parish councils assist the pastor in supporting the life and mission of the parish. These councils help pastors recognize and understand the needs of the parish community, providing invaluable support in planning, communication, and accountability.
Led by Laura Carrillo, Director of the Office of Strategic and Pastoral Planning of the Diocese of Fall River, and Deacon Joseph P. Harrington, Associate Director, the workshops were held in four regions of the Diocese: Cape Cod, New Bedford, Taunton-Attleboro, and concluded on June 17 at Holy Trinity Church in Fall River. In total, nearly 200 attendees representing 50 parishes participated, drawing a strong response from both clergy and parish leaders.
Carrillo feels the workshops were a success.
“These gatherings come at a time of great urgency. We currently have 59
active priests in our Diocese, and retirements are increasingly outpacing ordinations. With recent changes in assignments, parish mergers, and closures, there’s understandable unrest. Our goal is to equip parish councils to step in and help relieve some of that burden,” she said.
Each session began with a shared meal and an opening blessing, fostering a sense of community before attendees viewed the diocesan-produced video “A Time for Fortitude,” which set the tone for thoughtful reflection.
From there, participants broke into small discussion groups centered around a single, powerful question: “How can we help our priests?”
The responses were as practical as they were heartfelt. Suggestions included hosting monthly socials to foster parish unity, increasing youth engagement through tailored programs, offering visible council leadership
† July 4, 2025
(such as wearing name tags at Mass), and taking on small tasks to protect priests’ personal time and well-being.
“By our final session in Fall River, the format was running more smoothly, and the timing really allowed for deeper discussion,” said Deacon Harrington.
“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Many participants asked if we would continue offering these workshops in the future,” he added.
The workshops align with Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha’s three-year pastoral plan, A Time for Fortitude, which emphasizes lay engagement, leadership development, and evangelization.
At its heart, this initiative reflects the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, which called for greater collaboration between the ordained and the laity in responding to the pastoral needs of the Church.
Participants left the workshops not only with
new ideas, but with a clearer sense of their mission: to walk alongside their priests during a time when many are stretched thin by multiple parish assignments, aging congregations, and a general decline in vocations.
At Divine Mercy Parish in Westport, formed by the merger of three former parishes in that town, the sense of shared responsibility was palpable.
“We have four members from each of the original parishes now serving on our parish council,” said Cindy Dupont, a consultant on the parish finance council.
“We are so fortunate to have Father Dariusz leading us forward. We’re here to support him and make sure he knows he’s not alone in his ministry,” she said.
Fellow parishioner Mary Biasotti echoed that sentiment, acknowledging the practical reality that led to the merger.
“With the number of priests declining, it simply wasn’t possible to keep three parishes open. We thank God that Father Dariusz, as well as retired priests Father Bernier and Father McCullough, and Deacon Flaherty, are here to help. We came tonight to learn new ways to be of service.”
Another Divine Mercy parishioner, Colleen Brady, who leads the religious education program, highlighted the importance of engaging the next generation of Catholics.
“We currently have 250 students registered in
grades one through nine. The key is making the faith come alive for them. Children are naturally drawn to tradition — and the Church has so much of that. When I see young families attending Mass regularly, I know our efforts are bearing fruit.”
At Holy Trinity Church in Fall River, the parish council meets quarterly and is exploring initiatives such as online giving. Council members Michael and Vicky Robertson are also focused on retaining youth engagement post-confirmation.
“We have about 750 active parishioners, but attendance dips after high school graduation,” said Michael. “We’re actively exploring ways to connect with the younger members of our parish and help them stay engaged. That alone would be a major support to Father Oliveira.”
As the Diocese of Fall River continues to navigate a changing ecclesial landscape, the “A Time of Fortitude” initiative offers a hopeful blueprint for parish renewal. It calls on the lay faithful not just to assist—but to lead, to listen, and to stand beside their pastors in building vibrant, holy, and sustainable parish communities.
“The priesthood is a sacred vocation, but it is not meant to be lived out in isolation,” Carrillo emphasized. “When our parish councils are strong, connected, and mission-driven, everyone benefits—and the whole Church is renewed.”
Parish Council members from the New Bedford area gathered to brainstorm ways they can help their parish priests.
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Local Guild for the blind is under the patronage of St. Margaret of Castella who was blind and had multiple disabilities
The group’s discussions often stretch to an hour and a half and are filled with laughter, reflection, and support.
Many participants, including Lucille, originally from New York, Mary Reis of Fall River (who joined in 2020 during the isolating days of the pandemic), and Dennis, 73, of Dennis, Mass., say this group has filled a spiritual gap that existed for years. They recalled a time when in-person gatherings were common — at parishes like Holy Name in Fall River or through the Catholic Guild in New Bedford, dating back as far as the 1980s. Volunteers would drive blind or visually impaired members to Mass or social events.
But then, ‘‘Poof — it was gone — and there wasn’t a group for years,” Reis recalled.
Thanks to Catholic Charities outreach and the embrace of virtual meetings, Reis feels once again a connection with others in faith.
“God has revisited. It is a spiritual coffee break, an oasis in the desert during
difficult days — a reminder that with God, no one is ever alone,” Reis said.
The Xavier Society for the Blind has long played a pivotal role in this ministry. Founded in 1900 by Margaret Coffey, a blind educator, and Fr. Joseph Stadelman, SJ, the organization began with a stereograph machine to produce raised-type religious texts. Today, it provides free Braille, audio, and largeprint Catholic materials to patrons across the U.S. and beyond.
Bob Branco of New Bedford, who also runs a podcast and website (www. brancoevents.com), uses a digital audio player to listen to the New American Bible — provided free of charge thanks to the Society’s services. Others, like Rachael, keep their audio Bibles by their bedside — companions even into the night.
For some, the connection goes back decades. Karen Crowder fondly remembers being just eight years old in 1958 when she made her First Communion and received her first Bible. Later, she’d
meet friends for lunch at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Somerville. Today, she finds it deeply meaningful to be able to “pray for others” in the group.
And the Rosary itself is more than a prayer — it’s a bridge across time. Members often recall the legacy of Father Patrick Peyton, champion of the Family
Rosary Crusade, who promoted the prayer through media — even with help from stars like Bing Crosby. His motto still echoes in their hearts: “The family that prays together, stays together.”
After years of dormancy, the Rosary group was reborn in December 2021 and has grown steadily, now drawing 12 to 15 participants regularly. The group hopes to expand further, possibly bringing
in more guest speakers — including blind priests and lay leaders. They also dream of in-person meetups, talent shows, and social events like those of old. But for now, a free phone call, a few faithful voices, and a shared prayer are more than enough — all rooted in hope and held together by a shared understanding.
The Xavier Society’s Rosary group may be modest in size, but its spiritual impact is vast. As one member put it, “It goes to show — with God, you’re never truly alone.”
“Without the Xavier Society, these important sources of spiritual formation would not be available to visually impaired Catholics,” said Malachy Fallon, Executive Director of the Xavier Society. “Many of the books we produce are requested by our patrons, while others are selected by our staff. We try to anticipate what books will have wide appeal.”
Today, the Society offers over 1,500 audiobook titles and nearly 1,400 Braille books, including Mass Propers, catechetical texts, papal encyclicals, devotional books, and periodicals such as The Xavier Review and The Catholic
Review. Some long-time users have even gone on to serve as lectors at Mass, reading Scripture aloud using Braille texts — evidence of how the Society helps visually impaired individuals fully participate in the life of the Church.
To mark the Xavier Society’s 125th anniversary, the Fall River-based Catholic Guild is inviting the wider community to attend one of its upcoming phone-in meetings — including a special guest session on Thursday, July 17.
“The third Thursday is usually when we welcome guest speakers,” a Guild representative said.
‘‘Not just to learn more about our experiences, but to hear firsthand what the Xavier Society means to its users.”
To learn more or to register for services, individuals must provide documentation of legal blindness or a physical disability that prevents use of standard print. All materials are offered free of charge thanks to the generosity of donors.
For more information, visit xaviersocietyfortheblind.org or call 212-4737800 or Catholic Charities at ccfrdioc.org.
Madeleine and Richard Grace honored at 4th Annual Lumen Christi Cathedral Gala
By Joan D. Warren Editor joandwarren@anchornews.org
FALL RIVER — Longtime parishioners and supporters of the Diocese of Fall River, Madeleine and Richard Grace, were honored at the fourth annual Lumen Christi Cathedral Gala on June 25, held at White’s of Westport.
Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D. presented the couple with the prestigious Luminary Award in recognition of their enduring dedication, generosity, and service to the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption and the wider diocesan community.
Madeleine Grace, Director of Music at St. Mary’s Cathedral, has served as the Cathedral’s organist for more than 40 years. She also led the Diocesan Choir for three decades before stepping away from that role about
ten years ago.
A graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, where she was a member of the NEC Chorus—then often associated with the Boston Symphony Orchestra—Mrs. Grace has studied organ with numerous prominent instructors in both New England and Cambridge, England.
As choir director, she has led the Cathedral Choir through a wide range of complex liturgical works. At last year’s Gala, she conducted a memorable performance of Salmo 150 by Brazilian composer Ernani Aguiar.
Madeleine and Richard first met in the Cathedral Choir and were married there in 1977 by their former choir director, Father Bill Campbell. Their daughters, Marianne Aguiar and Elizabeth Heath, have also been longtime members of the choir, with Eliza-
beth currently serving as cantor.
Dr. Richard Grace is an Emeritus Professor of History at Providence College and continues to sing in the Cathedral Choir.
Among the attendees were family, and friends of the Graces and co-workers of Dr. Grace from Providence College, including a table of Dominican priests, as well as Fr. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P. who is the President of Providence College.
Father Gabriel Pivarnik, O.P. said he got to know the Graces after they chaperoned a school trip to Barcelona some years ago.
‘‘They are lovely people. I got to know them traveling with students out of the country. I also worked with Richard when he taught honors history and I was director of the honors program at PC,” he said.
Together, the Graces have exemplified faithful service and a deep-rooted commitment to the Cathedral and the Diocese.
This year’s Gala welcomed more than 300 guests, raising more than $350,000 to support the restoration of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption—often referred to as the ”Mother Church” of the Diocese. A total of $1 million has been raised for Cathedral restorations in the four years of Gala efforts.
The event was filled with celebration, music, and community spirit. The evening began with lively jazz performed by Vatican III, a group that includes Fathers Matt Gill, Matt Laird, Larry Valliere, Bryan Bangs, and Patrick Fiorillo. After the blessing by Father David Frederici, V.G., who is the Cathedral’s Rector, dinner was served.
Emcee for the evening
was Michael J. Murray, Chairman of the Diocesan Pastoral Council and a parishioner at St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in New Bedford.
‘‘Tonight we also celebrate 15 milestone anniversaries of Priestly Ordinations between 25 years and 60 years. With us this evening, are Fr. Jay Maddock – celebrating his 50th anniversary and Fr. Thomas Lopes – celebrating his 60th anniversary,” Murray said to a roaring round of applause.
The Gala was cochaired by Carl Sawejko, an advocate and supporter of the Gala since 2022, and a parishioner at Our Lady of Peace in Somerset/Swansea.
He Co-Chaired the event alongside Angela Barcelos, a parishioner of St. Andrew the Apostle in Taunton, who warmly
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Left: Madeleine and Richard Grace accept the Luminary Award from Fall River Bishop Edgar da Cunha, S.D.V. at the Lumen Christi Cathedral Gala on June 25. Right: Madeline and Richard Grace, center, are pictured with (l-r) Miriam Sherman, CEO of the Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts, Co-chair Angela Barcelos, Bishop Edgar da Cunha and Co-Chair Carl Sawejko.
Our Lady of Lourdes School in Taunton hosts second annual STEM showcase
TAUNTON — As the second annual STEM Showcase took place on June 10 at Our Lady of Lourdes School (OLOL), the school chose to focus on the application of 3D printing and robots to the History of Taunton as well as Forensic Science.
Thus, as visitors walked into the OLOL’s gymnasium, one was immediately welcomed by a student offering to provide a guided tour through each of the “stations” – each representing a different significant piece of Taunton history or significance.
The centerpiece exhibit was a scaled replica of the center of Taunton, including the Taunton Green, Marian Manor, First Parish Church, and City Hall. A robotic car took the visitor to each location where a student recited the location and its significance.
Surrounding the “Taunton Green” were students’ works of artistic creativity, communication, historical knowledge, and technical innovation. From hand drawn stained glass windows by the kin-
dergartners to presentations on fingerprints, hair analysis and 3-D printing by students in grades 5 - 8, the showcase was replete with the talent and excitement of OLOL students learning new concepts and eager to show what they have learned to visitors.
Shaunna O’Connell, the mayor of Taunton, paid the school a visit and was quickly entrenched in discussions with students about their research and findings. Having sent her
children to Our Lady of Lourdes School for a period of time, Mayor O’Connell expressed gratitude for the excellent work and commitment of the OLOL faculty and staff. A group of students presented Mayor O’Connell with a 3-D printed replica of the town hall, which was graciously accepted.
Another dignitary was Sister Mary Catherine Burns of the Holy Union Sisters, who had been a high school math and
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driving on a predetermined path, and dioramas of various ecosystems. Grades 3-8 students showcased their pottery skills while grade 4 students explored various states.
As the lead STEM teacher at Our Lady of Lourdes, Ellen Russell has spent her career imparting her love of science onto students from kindergarten to high school. One of the exhibits included the electric car completely built by students under the direction of Russell that competed last year at electric car races in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
physics teacher at Coyle and Cassidy High School. Sister Mary Catherine secured the grant funding that propelled the STEM program to its current high level of academic challenge for students and was sincerely impressed with the variety of projects and level of knowledge each student had about their topic.
Each class had an opportunity to tour the exhibits and then have individual time to review exhibits at their own pace. Younger students especially expressed their enthusiasm for 3-D printed “Mike Wazowskis”, robotic cars
According to Russell, “Helping students understand how science affects almost everything we encounter and how it has changed over time have been the cornerstones of my teaching philosophy. Enticing students to ask ‘why’ and ‘how’ propel them to learn through experience and subsequently better retain details and information. This event provides a platform for all students to showcase some of their proudest projects and explain what they have learned. I truly hope that this will be one of many long lasting memories of their time at OLOL.”
July 4, 2025
Students Makiah Sylvarin, grade 7, Jaxson Wasylyk, grade 8, and Mathew Ferris, grade 8 have their photo taken with Mayor Shaunna O’Connell of Taunton.
Editorial
One month from today, something historic will take place that may and should have an enormous impact on the present and future of the Diocese of Fall River.
Bishop Edgar da Cunha and the priests of the Diocese, during solemn Evening Prayer, will consecrate themselves to the patron saint of parish priests, Saint John Mary Vianney (1786-1859). The consecration will take place on Vianney’s feast day, August 4, within the ongoing celebrations of the centenary of his canonization.
Consecration is a form of entrustment that goes beyond merely asking for God’s or a saint’s help and prayers. It’s an act of belonging, a lasting commitment, what Pope Benedict XVI used to call essentially a transfer of ownership by which someone gives himself in permanent openness to the intercessor’s guidance.
The consecration of and by the priests of the Diocese to St. John Vianney is a key part, perhaps the most pivotal of all, of the ongoing “Stronger Priests, Stronger Parishes, Stronger Church” initiative. As Bishop da Cunha wrote the priests of the Diocese on May 30, the day before the centenary of St. John Vianney’s 1925 canonization, the initiative is an opportunity for priests to rededicate themselves to “growth in holiness, the foundation without which none of our pursuits will bear fruit.”
He stated that the Church proposes the humble Curé (pastor) of Ars as a “spiritual father” and “model of what priestly parish ministry ought to look like. His unwavering devotion to Christ, his tireless zeal for souls, and his profound prayer life serve as a beacon,” he said, for priests “to renew and strengthen our priesthood.” He announced that on August 4, the priests would convene to “celebrate our consecration to Saint John Vianney” and urged all the priests of the Diocese to prepare for it by re-reading the life of St. John Vianney and bringing his writing to their prayers. “This moment of consecration will be a time of renewal and commitment, entrusting our priesthood to his intercession so that we may become ever more faithful shepherds of God’s people.”
What would be some of the characteristics of a sincere consecration to
† July 4, 2025
the Curé of Ars?
It would first be a commitment to priestly holiness. God never calls any man simply to be priest. He summons them to be a holy priest through the sacrament of holy orders, a sign and means of the universal call to holiness among all God’s sons and daughters that his ministerial priesthood serves. Just as St. John Vianney became an efficacious instrument of sanctity for the people of Ars, so every priest, by words and especially example, is meant to be a credible summons to God’s people to the fullness of the Christian life to which they’re called.
A consecration to St. John Vianney will likewise involve a commitment to priestly prayer. St. John Vianney was, Pope Benedict once said, “the model of an existence made prayer.” He used to make vigils before Jesus in the tabernacle begging for the conversion of his parishioners. He would pray and sacrifice for the needs and petitions his parishioners brought to him. He saw prayer as his first form of service to his people. Sometimes parish priests can succumb to the temptation to try to serve the Lord Jesus like Martha of Bethany through the many tasks involved in administering parishes, while Jesus wants them, like Mary of Bethany, to choose the better part, the one thing necessary, and prioritize sitting at his feet in prayer.
Third, consecration to the Curé of Ars means to live a Eucharistic life and Eucharistic priesthood. His whole life was oriented toward the Eucharistic Jesus and toward helping his flock learn how to make the Eucharistic Jesus the true focal point of every day. The way he celebrated Mass left no doubt that he believed what the Church professes, that after the consecration, the same Jesus who was in Mary’s womb for nine months becomes present sacramentally on the altar. The way he knelt before the monstrance and tabernacle likewise proclaimed the truth of the Lord’s real presence. Sometimes he would preach by simply pointing to the tabernacle and repeating, with grateful tears, “He is there! He is there! He is there!”
Fourth, a Viannine entrustment involves a commitment to the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. St. John Vianney is the most famous confessor in the history of the
Church, hearing confessions for 16-18 hours a day for the last three decades of his life. His confessional became a great hospital for souls as people from all over France used to travel to Ars and wait an average of eight days to have their confession heard. His first decade as pastor was a martyrdom of waiting, as he patiently prayed and preached parishioners into the confessional and spent hours each day in an empty confessional. Eventually those in Ars returned to God’s mercy and soon after all of France. Not every priest will have Vianney’s gift for reading and guiding souls, but every priest can model his commitment to making the sacrament of mercy available.
Fifth, consecration to Vianney means a commitment to Catholic schools and to the formation of young people in the faith. The Curé dedicated his entire familial inheritance to build a Catholic school and orphanage in Ars. He visited the school every day, to catechize the children and encourage their instructors. Some of his most famous miracles happened because of prayers for the children. He recognized, especially after the French Revolution and its secularizing emphases, that Catholic schools were essential incubators for forming good Catholics and so he willingly sacrificed all he had for the one he founded and helped his parishioners, likewise, to see the importance of a Catholic education.
Sixth, entrustment to the Curé of Ars involves a renewed commitment to pastoral charity. Vianney cared for the poor of Ars with a special love, using the donations given to him not just to care for the many homeless who would come to the Church but also helping 30 families annually pay for their farms. He gave people clothes from his own closet and once exchange shoes with a beggar whose shoes were full of holes. He saw everything he had simply as a depository God had placed in his hands and he regularly withdrew those deposits to care for anyone who needed it. He knew occasionally that some tried to take advantage of his generosity, but replied that God would hold them accountable for what they did with the alms but would hold him responsible for whether he sought to care for Christ in the person of the poor.
Seventh, a consecration to Vianney involves a love for the priesthood, for priests and priestly vocations. He regarded the priesthood as the love of the heart of Jesus, a special means by which Jesus the High Priest and Good Shepherd cares for his beloved flock. He had a strong priestly identity — the priesthood was his life, not his job! — and he prayed and fasted for his brother priests and future priests, because he knew that the salvation of his people, not to mention the world, depended on the work Christ wills to do through them.
Finally, a consecration to Vianney means a determined focus on helping his people become saints and fulfill God’s plans for them. The day of his 1818 arrival in Ars was marked by thick fog. He found a boy in the fields and asked to be pointed in the right direction of the village. After the boy obliged, his new pastor said, “You have shown me the way to Ars. I will show you the way to heaven,” and that’s what summarized his next 41 years, incessantly striving to get his people to fix their gaze on the heavenly Jerusalem and on the narrow way that leads to eternal life.
The faithful of the Diocese of Fall River needs, indeed deserves, priests with these priestly priorities. These are the priests that God, too, wants them to have.
Once, through a possessed man Vianney was about to exorcise, the devil snorted, “If there were three of you, my kingdom would be destroyed.” It’s an interesting theological question whether one can, or should, believe anything the “father of lies” says, even though we see in the Gospel that the evil one occasionally said very true things about Jesus’ holiness. If the devil were speaking truthfully, however, he was declaring that he feared three Vianneys in the world more than he fears — to use today’s numbers of priests worldwide — 406,997 other priests who were just good.
Imagine if the Diocese of Fall River had one St. John Vianney. Imagine three. Imagine 100 or more. That’s what faithful of the Diocese should be praying for over the upcoming month, as Bishop da Cunha and priests prepare to make this consecration on August 4.
St. Pius X School in Yarmouth names Deacon Peter Schutzler as new principal
YARMOUTH — Father John Kelleher, pastor of St. Pius X Parish and School in Yarmouth, recently announced the confirmation of Deacon Peter Schutzler as the new principal of St. Pius X School, at the start of the 2025-26 school year.
The current principal, Mrs. Joanna Ryder, is stepping down from this role as she focuses on her growing family.
As a veteran educator and administrator, Deacon Schutzler currently is the Theology chair at St. John Paul II School in Hyannis, teaching high school Theology courses as well as the campus ministry lead since 2022. He also provided oversight for the implementation of social/emotional learning support for the JPII student body.
Previously, Deacon Schutzler was the principal at Holy Family Holy Name School in New Bedford where he oversaw the creation and implementation of the return to school plan during the pandemic as well as collaborated with the creation and implementation of the merge plan that created St. Teresa of Calcutta School in New Bedford.
Having spent more than 15 years teaching or leading Catholic schools in Pennsylvania and in Southeastern Massachusetts, Deacon Schutzler believes in the importance of Catholic education.
“Catholic education offers students the invaluable gift of
developing each student’s personal relationship with Christ. I have been so blessed to be able to guide students on this journey and help lead them along the way. During my time at JPII, it was very clear which students came from St. Pius X School as they were the ones who knew the Catechism, volunteered to help unceasingly, and demonstrated their faith in how they interact with their classmates and community. I am truly humbled to lead such an amazing faith-filled school and blessed to have the support of the leadership and parish,” he said.
Father Kelleher is confident the level of leadership will remain strong with Deacon Schutzler.
“I am very pleased that St. Pius X School will continue to have a faith-filled, experienced, and talented educator as our next principal. SPXS is well-known for its commitment to serving the diverse population in surrounding
communities whose families seek a nurturing, faith based, learning environment for their children. I am confident that under Deacon Peter’s leadership, our school will continue to enhance our Catholic community life - rooted in our faith in Jesus Christ.”
Daniel S. Roy, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Fall River has faith in educators who choose to teach in Catholic schools.
“The unique aspect of a Catholic education is the integration of a Catholic worldview into all foundational subjects such as reading, writing, math, science and social studies.
“Moreover, it is no secret that Catholic schools, in partnership
with families, cultivate an environment where students can thrive spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and socially. The Diocese of Fall River is blessed to have such a committed group of school leaders like Deacon Schutzler who have said yes to Catholic education,” Roy said.
Deacon Schutzler has a master of science degree from Chestnut Hill College and a bachelor's degree from The Pennsylvania State University.
He and his wife, Kate, live in Mashpee and have two grown daughters. They are active members of Christ the King Parish in Mashpee, where Deacon Schutzler serves as a permanent deacon.
Cape Cod Pro-Life Alliance and Pro-Life Standouts demonstrate at Bourne rotary for the unborn
BOURNE — On Saturday, June 14, a group of roughly 20 Catholics gathered at the Bourne rotary on Cape Cod to prayerfully demonstrate for the protection of unborn babies. Reflecting the Church’s call to defend the dignity of every human life (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2270), the demonstrators braved both the rain and some scornful comments to publicly witness for the values of our Catholic faith.
They held signs with messages like “I am the Pro-Life Generation”, “Pray to End Abortion”, and “Defund Planned Parenthood”, as well as images of babies and American and ProLife flags. While standing, they also prayed the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. It was a busy day for traffic at the rotary, and many hundreds of cars drove past the group. Many passersby gave waves, honks, and thumbs up, which was encouraging to see.
The event was organized by Pro-Life Standouts, a youth-led group
that takes the pro-life message to various towns in Massachusetts. While most of their standouts are closer to Boston, they planned this event to collaborate with the Cape Cod Pro-Life Alliance and the WAVE Catholic young adult group (based in Corpus Christi Parish, Sandwich). It was a big success, and an opportunity for several new people to come and stand up for Life.
Organizer Gabriel D., a student at Bridgewater State University, was happy to see new people coming out. “There are a lot of
pro-life people in Massachusetts” he said, “and I want them to feel encouraged that we can make a difference. Just look at the impact that 12 Apostles made on the world, once they were inspired and free from their fears.”
Gabriel also promoted a line of pro-life bumper stickers that he makes, which aim to save lives by helping women in need find pro-life pregnancy help. Gabriel gives these stickers out for free to pro-life individuals and churches, and offers them on his website, ProLifeStickers.com. “It’s a great
an abortion herself, but she found healing and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. She also talked about the work that Cape Cod Pro-Life Alliance does and encouraged people to get involved.
way to increase our impact year-round,” he said, “and if the person driving behind you is a woman in crisis, imagine the difference it could make.”
The demonstration featured a guest speech by Ellen D’Ovidio, the cochair of Cape Cod Pro-Life Alliance. She talked about the importance of prayer and education for the prolife movement, and emphasized that a loving and non-judgmental approach to people is important for changing hearts.
D’Ovidio shared that she used to be on the other side of this issue and had
Overall, the event was a great time to learn, connect, and stand for our Catholic values. In the words of one attendee, named Keith, “It challenges you to go outside of your comfort zone, to show your face in public and not be ashamed of what you believe in.” Keith, who came to the Standout with his wife and young son, believes that resisting that desire for comfort is important “when it means fighting for what’s most important in life, which in this case is life itself”.
If you would like to request free bumper stickers or learn more about the Pro-Life Standouts group, please visit www.ProLifeStickers.com! To learn about and join the Cape Cod Pro-Life Alliance, visit https://capecodprolife.org.
Continued from page four Lumen Christi Cathedral Gala raises $350,000 for restorations to The Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption als, corporations, foundations, and area businesses that joined us again this year. Their support, commitment, and leadership are fueling the momentum we need to carry on this costly, multi-year restoration effort. The impact of the repairs thus far has already been profound,” she said.
Upcoming repairs and restoration efforts will begin on the tower
and Our Lady’s Chapel and was the focus of the ‘‘Text to Give” effort that raised more than $15,000 the evening of the Gala. To learn more about the work at the Cathedral and to donate, go to https:// www.catholicfoundationsema.org/cathedral-gala/
To view photos from the evening, please visit https://www.catholicfoundationsema.org/2025-lumen-christi-gala-gallery/
Sponsors for the gala included Presenting Sponsor Reverend Jose A. F. Dos Santos Trust, as well as Patrick and Lillian Carney and the Carney Family Foundation, James S. and MaryEllen Sullivan Hughes, BayCoast Bank, anonymous benefactors, and hundreds of additional donors.
A special video tribute highlighted the restoration efforts to the Cathedral through Gala donations, its historical and spiritual significance across the region, and spotlighted the ministries and faithful who bring the Catholic mission to life each day.
Bishop da Cunha expressed gratitude for the clergy and laity who have enriched the Diocese’s mission through decades of service.
Built in the 1850s to serve the city’s growing
Catholic population— many of whom worked in local textile mills—St. Mary’s was elevated to Cathedral status in 1904.
As Dr. Richard Grace reflects in his essay The Life of a Church that Became a Cathedral, early parishioners helped build the church with their own hands after long days of labor in the mills, never imagining it would one day become a Cathedral.
Today, more than 160 years later, that spirit of community continues, with hands and hearts coming together to restore and preserve this historic house of worship.
Now in its fourth year, the Lumen Christi Cathedral Gala has become a treasured diocesan tradition. Miriam Finn Sherman, CEO of the Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts, which coordinates the event, expressed her gratitude for the growing support.
“We are so grateful to all the parishes, individu-
4, 2025 thanked the many donors, parishes, and individuals whose support made the night a success.
Madeleine and Richard Grace (top, left) are toasted by family and friends after receiving the Luminary Award from Bishop Edgar da Cunha, S.D.V.
Salt, Light and Leaven Meet Jennifer Golden: Family, faith and service to the community
By Joan D. Warren Editor joandwarren@anchornews.org
Jennifer Mary Markey was born in New Bedford and is the youngest of Jack and Carol Markey’s four children. She was baptized at St. James Parish in New Bedford, now Our Lady of Guadalupe.
She graduated from Bishop Stang High School in 1986, earned a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art from the College of the Holy Cross in 1990, and a JD from UMass Law School in 1995.
Jennifer married Dennis Golden at St. Anthony’s in Mattapoisett in 1997. While Dennis worked at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, MD, Jennifer worked in a law firm in Maryland before their first child arrived, then stayed home to care for their young children. Several moves and children later (Matthew, Samuel, Elizabeth, Rachel, and Michael), Dennis and Jennifer settled in New Bedford, where they have lived for 21 years, and have been parishioners just as long at Our Lady of the Assumption in New Bedford. In 2007, Jennifer became the director of Development at YMCA Southcoast, then at Gifts to Give, before joining the Advancement Office at Bishop Stang for 10 years. Dennis joined her at Bishop Stang in 2017 and continues to work there, while Jennifer joined the team at the Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts in 2023.
Why is Catholic education so important to you and your family? Catholic education at the elementary level created a loving community for our kids to learn the necessary academics, but with a focus on being kind to all God’s children. It gave them the language and basics of our Catholic
faith and helped them develop a way to discuss their faith openly. Bishop Stang impacted their personal faith journey at a time when they were learning about themselves and beginning to identify their dreams and plans for their future. It allowed them to understand and take ownership of their faith. Catholic high school provides opportunities through lessons, activities, events, and conversations that openly include faith, and of critical importance, they experience these formative moments with friends and peers.
diocese.
Previous positions with the Diocese of Fall River: Before joining the Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts team, I worked in the Advancement and Alumni Office at Bishop Stang High School.
Goals in current position: To help fund the essential pastoral and inspirational mission work of our Diocese. My job at the Catholic Foundation allows me to live out my faith and help solidify the foundation of the Diocese’s necessary work. It also allows me to invite and inspire support towards some of the visionary goals and projects of the Bishop, diocesan councils, pastors and priests, and the lay leadership of the many ministries across the Diocese. I want to share the good news of this work and help anyone wanting to make a positive impact on this community meet their goals by providing opportunities to invest in the ministries of the
How did you manage juggling 5 kids and working? My husband, Dennis, and I have been blessed to have five children who are now all young adults. There is no question that we are a team—not only Dennis and I but all five kids, too. And we always had helpful family and friends! Everyone in our household has always taken on responsibilities, even when the kids were very young, making all we did possible. Some of it was truly out of necessity, but we like to think it also helped them grow into the responsible people they have become.
Best family vacation: There is nothing better than a road trip, and we have had many memorable ones to visit family in North Carolina, often with friends and extended family piled into the big family van!
Currently reading: I have four nonfiction books on my nightstand that I have started but not finished! I'm mostly excited that I just began reading The Lioness of Boston by Emily Franklin, a novel about Isabella Stewart Gardner.
Favorite family tradition: We have years' worth of “required family photos” in front of the St. Mary statue during a variety of celebrations and occasions at our parish (OLOA in New Bedford). Something a little out there and fun we have done over the years is in January: our family designs and builds an ice cream sculpture
(think Sochi Olympic venue, the cabin we visit in Maine, or the U.S. Capitol – anything goes!). I hope we get to do another one next year. It is tricky pulling it off now that the kids are “grown and flown.”
Date night with husband: With Dennis as a coach for a good portion of the school year, sometimes date night is tricky. We stay connected over early morning coffee and sometimes longer car rides to visit our kids. We’ve also had some fun taking a weekly class together at the Y. If we have time to sit for a nice meal, we like to include friends and family because our “village” is important and valued by both of us.
Most requested meal: This one depends on which family member you ask! We love to make delicious Panzanella Salad with homemade croutons. Still, Dennis and I often answer the call to team up for charcoal-grilled cheeseburgers for family and friends.
Since you went to law school and family members are attorneys and entered politics, (her father Jack was mayor of New Bedford and brother Chris is a Mass. state representative) can you explain your personal position on both? Becoming a lawyer, my education increased my understanding of three things: [1] what it means to have freedom and individual rights, [2] the responsibility we each have to the broader community, and [3] the web of impact of our actions on others. It is critical that leaders, public and private, in business and politics, from every religion, culture, and background, no matter their income level, whether local, national, or global, consider each of us for our humanity and treat everyone with dignity and respect.
† July 4, 2025
Bring The Anchor on your next trip and take a picture with it in front of a church, statue or other religious setting. The only stipulation is that the person(s) photographed must be from the Diocese of Fall River and the location be outside the Diocese. Let’s see how far The Anchor can travel! Send submissions to joandwarren@anchornews. org.
Karen Monroe (left) from New Bedford wrote to The Anchor with a lovely recounting of her time in Utah as an extra on ‘‘The Chosen”, a recounting of the ministry and last days in the life of Jesus Christ. She also attended the National Eucharistic Congress last July and was featured on the cover of the August issue.
Dear Anchor, I’ve had a blessed year in many ways and through the grace of God was “Chosen” to be a background extra again for ‘‘The Chosen” Season six filming, which is the 24 hrs of the Crucifixion on Good Friday. So this past May I traveled to Utah for filming and Texas in August. While in Utah I took a picture holding the edition of The Anchor that you did about the NEC with me on the cover which truly was so amazing.
I am truly humbled that God has given me the grace to spread His word in this way and to experience what Jesus and Mother Mary and others went through in this very emotional and painful moment out of love and mercy for us.
~ Karen Monroe
To advertise in The Anchor, contact Wayne Powers at 508675-7151 or email waynepowers@ anchornews. org
Around the Diocese
Foundation to Advance Catholic Education summer happenings on Cape Cod
A summer tradition that raises funds to support student scholarships will be taking place again this August. The 28th Annual FACE Summer Gala on Cape Cod will be held on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at the Wianno Club in Osterville from 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. The evening will offer a gourmet dinner, auction, raffle, student speaker as well as honor the recipient of the Al Makkay, Sr. Award. The evening will be hosted by Edgar Bishop da Cunha, S.D.V., together with Event Chairs Tom and Pat Marmen of Cotuit.
The FACE summer committee has been hard at work planning this special event and coordinating prizes for the Auction and Raffle, including a Chatham Bars Inn Getaway, Nantucket Getaway, Ireland Getaway at the luxurious 5-star resort Dromoland Castle, Andrea Bocelli in Concert at TD Garden, and Savannah Southern Charm Getaway. To purchase tickets and reserve a seat for this fantastic night on Cape Cod or to donate or sponsor, please visit https://www.face-dfr.org/28th-annual-face-summer-gala
Shortly after the Summer Gala, Team FACE will be participating for the 5th year in the 2025 Numbers for Non-profits program as part of the 53rd annual Falmouth Road Race.
Team FACE participants are Dan Briand, Father Matthew Laird, Deacon David Laird, Jack McCormick, Chuck Papalia, Laura Russo, Gabby Roy, and Olivia Roy. Team captain Jane Robin and her daughter, Cassandra Robin, are also joining as well as fundraising for FACE.
The In Person Race will take place in Falmouth on Sunday August 17, 2025 and the At-Home Edition takes place from Saturday, August 9 through Saturday, August 16, 2025, during which time runners participate in the 7-mile challenge in their own neighborhood.
Support for Team FACE runners benefits student scholarships for children to attend Catholic schools in the Diocese of Fall River.
For more information, please contact Jane Robin, Team Captain, at jrobin@catholicfoundationsema.org or to donate, please view the link at https://raceroster.com/ events/2025/99641/the-2025asics-falmouth-road-race/pledge/ team/754452
Fall River Diocesan Catholic Council of Woman sponsoring a trip to ride the Turkey Dinner Train in New Hampshire on October 10
Join the DCCW for the perfect Foliage Day Trip. Begin your day with a beautiful scenic drive up to Meredith, New Hampshire where riders will board the Winnipesaukee “Turkey Train” at the Hobo Railroad. This two hour scenic train ride through the countryside of New Hampshire is complete with a delicious full turkey dinner complete with all the fixin's! This exceptional turkey meal is provided by Hart’s Turkey Farm.
Following the lunch train excursion, we board the motorcoach and head to Moulton Farm, in the heart of the Lakes Region. The farm dates back to 1890’s and has so much to offer.
Cost is $140.00 and includes: roundtrip transportation, train ride and lunch.
For Reservations, Please Contact: in New Bedford: Sharon Vieira 508-889-2600; in Fall River: Laura Cousineau 508-674-3361; in Westport: Lynette Ouellette 508-6747036; in Taunton: Fran Brezinski 774-218-2693.
Checks should be payable to: Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women or FRDCCW. The last payment is due on September 3. Send checks to: Fran Brezinski, 1539 Stanzione Drive, North Dighton, MA 02764
A minimum of 40 adults are needed for this trip to take place.
Around the Diocese
Annual Solemn Novena in honor of Good Saint Anne to be held July 18-26
For 153 years, since 1872, the Solemn Novena and Festival Mass for the Feast of Good Saint Anne has been held at the landmark St. Anne Shrine in Fall River. This yearly event has drawn hundreds of thousands of pilgrims throughout the years; many have traveled far and come with great difficulties, on crutches, in wheelchairs, with nurses, or alone in the heat of mid-July.
They come in faith for the healing power of prayer and gratitude for favors answered. People come to pray to Good Saint Anne because they have faith in her powerful intercession with her grandson, our Lord Jesus Christ. Oftentimes, this great faith is a result of favors granted from St. Anne in the past. Over and over, the shrine hears the refrain, “I have great faith in St. Anne. She has helped me so often.”
Pilgrims come to St. Anne every year out of gratitude. Multitudes have obtained major favors simply by placing their petitions at her feet. They come to say “Thank You” on her feast day.
Such, for example, was a man from Connecticut who was born blind and was cured at our Shrine when he was nine years old. This man would return every year, assisting in carrying her statue in procession on her feast day. This is just one of the examples of faith born from the graces flowing from devotion to our patroness.
People of many nations and states in the US come here from near and far.
Devotion to Good Saint Anne knows no geographic limits, and her loving care, as the mother of the Virgin Mary, is here in a concrete way with the liturgies, devotions, and private prayer of visitors under her watchful eye.
The Saint Anne Shrine Preservation Society is pleased to announce a full schedule for the novena this year supported by the priests of the Fall River Diocese, the Franciscans of the Immaculate, the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) of Providence College, and a deacon of the Diocese of Metuchen NJ.
The novena will begin on Friday, July 18, 2025 with a special Healing Mass, Exposition and Benediction by Shrine Chaplain Father Edward A. Murphy at 6:30 p.m., preceded by the traditional novena prayers.
For the following six days, Franciscan friars from the Marian friary of Our Lady in New Bedford will offer Holy Mass at 6:30 p.m., followed by Exposition, a talk on Saint Anne as protectress of family life, and Benediction, again preceded by the traditional Novena to Good Saint Anne.
On Saturday, July 26, 2025, the Feast of St’s Anne and Joachim, the shrine will open at 10:00 a.m., Adoration in our Blessed Sacra-
ment Chapel will be available all day, the Divine Mercy Chaplet will be offered at 3:00 p.m., the closing prayers of the Novena at 6:00 p.m. (with confession available), and at 6:30 p.m., Father Kenneth Sicard OP, (President of Providence College) principal celebrant, assisted by Father Edward A. Murphy and Deacon Harry De Freitas of the Diocese of Metuchen will offer the festival Mass followed by the traditional procession of her relic and image through the streets of Fall River.
For more information, please contact the Shrine office at 508678-1510, or consult the website at https://www.st-annes-shrine.org
St. Julie's Parish Women's Conference to be held on September 6th
The Ladies Guild of St. Julie Billiart Parish in Dartmouth invites women of the parish, the surrounding area, and the Diocese of Fall River to join them in the second Catholic Women’s Conference to be held in the St. Julie parish hall on Saturday, September 6, 2025, from 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Early Registration (May 1st – August 6th) costs $40 and $50 for late registration (August 7th –August 30th)
The cost includes morning pastry and lunch. To register, go to www.saintjulies.org
July 4, 2025
In Your Prayers
Please pray for these bishops, priests and deacons during the coming weeks:
July 5
Rev. J.F. LaBonte, Retired Assistant, Sacred Heart, New Bedford, 1943
Rev. Edward P. Versailles, M.S., La Salette Shrine, Attleboro, 1985
Rev. Richard John Neilson, Retired, New York Archdiocese; Holy Redeemer, Chatham; Our Lady of Grace Chapel, South Chatham, 2016
July 6
Rev. Edmond Francis, SS.CC., Pastor, St. Mary, Fairhaven, 1963
Rev. Paul J. Price, SS.CC., 2006
July 7
Rev. James E. Lynch, Founder, St. Joan of Arc, Orleans, 1965
July 8
Rev. Edward J. Murphy, Pastor, St. Mary, Fall River, 1887
Rev. Msgr. Patrick J. O’Neill, Retired Pastor, St. Julie Billiart, North Dartmouth, 1995
July 10
Rev. Pie Marie Berard, O.P., Dominican Priory, Fall River, 1938
Rev. Maurice E. Parent, Assistant, St. Michael, Swansea, 1972
Rev. John E. Morris, M.M., Retired Maryknoll Missioner, Former Assistant, St. Joseph, Fall River, 1987
Rev. Theodore M. Morin, M.S., La Salette Shrine, Attleboro, 1987
Rev. Edward Keeney, SS.CC., 2004
July 12
Most Rev. Joseph P. Delaney, Bishop of Fort Worth, Texas, 2005
July 13
Rev. Arthur P. Deneault, M.S., La Salette Shrine, Attleboro, 1979
July 14
Rev. Nicholas Fett, SS.CC., Pastor, St. Boniface, New Bedford, 1938
Rev. Edmund J. Neenan, Assistant, Sacred Heart, Oak Bluffs, 1949
Rev. Vincent F. Diaferio, Pastor, Holy Rosary, Fall River, 1998
July 15
Rev. Fernando A. Veiga, C.M., 1993
July 16
Rev. Bernard Percot, O.P., Founder, St. Dominic, Swansea, 1937
Rev. Matthew F. Sullivan, SS.CC. Retired Chaplain, Bristol County House of Correction, Former Pastor, St. Mary, Fairhaven, 2002
July 17
Rev. William J. Smith, Pastor, St. Jacques, Taunton, 1960
Rev. Edmond Rego, Assistant, Espirito Santo, Fall River, 1981
Rev. Ernest N. Bessette, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, Attleboro, 1997
Rev. Thomas Paris, M.S., 2005
July 18
Rev. Adalbert Szklanny, Assistant , St. Patrick, Fall River, 1968
Rev. Lionel G. Doraisi, SSS., 1984
† July 4, 2025
Rev. Msgr. Joseph M. Quinn, C.S.C., 2007
July 19
Most Rev. Daniel F. Feehan, D.D., Second Bishop of Fall River, 1907-34, 1934
Rev. Francis M. Coady, Pastor, SS. Peter & Paul, Fall River, 1975
Msgr. Joseph R. Pannoni, Retired Pastor, Holy Rosary, Fall River, 1992
July 20
Rev. Joao Medeiros, Retired Pastor, St. Elizabeth, Fall River, 1983
July 22
Rev. Francis L. Mahoney, Retired Pastor, Holy Name, Fall River, 2007
July 23
Rev. Patrick F. Doyle, Founder, SS. Peter & Paul, Fall River, 1893
Rev. George B. McNamee, Founder Holy Name, Fall River, 1938
Rev. Roger J. Levesque, Founding Pastor of St. Joseph-St. Therese, New Bedford, 2018
July 25
Rev. Michael J. Cooke, Pastor, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1913
Rev. Raymond R. Mahoney, SS.CC., Former Pastor, Our Lady of Assumption, New Bedford, 1984
Rev. Luciano J. Pereira, Retired, Former Pastor, St. Michael, Fall River, 2019
July 26
Rev. Msgr. Alfred J.E. Bonneau, P.R. Retired Pastor, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1974
July 27
Rev. Damien Veary, SS.CC., Former Pastor, St. Anthony, Mattapoisett, 1981
Rev. Deacon James Meloni, 2011
Rev. Eugene V. LaPlante, A.A., 2019
July 29
Rev. Mathias McCabe, Retired Pastor, Sacred Heart, Fall River, 1913
Rev. Charles P. Trainor, S.S., St. Edward Seminary, Seattle, Wash. 1947
July 30
Rev. Francis Kiernan, Pastor, Sandwich, New Bedford, Wareham, 1838
July 31
Rev. Daniel Hearne, Pastor, St. Mary, Taunton, 1865
Rev. Hugh J. Munro, Chaplain, Marian Manor, Taunton, 2003
Rev. Fernand A. Cassista, M.S., 2014
Aug. 1
Rev. Marc H. Bergeron, Pastor, Our Lady of Fatima, New Bedford, 2014
Reverend William M. Costello, Retired, Former Pastor, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Seekonk, 2018
Daily Readings † July 5 — August 1
Sat. July 5: Gn 27: 1-5. 15-29: Ps 135: 1b-2. 3-4. 5-6: Mt 9: 14-17
Sun. July 6: Is 66: 10-14c: Ps 66: 1-3. 4-5. 6-7. 16. 20 (1): Gal 6: 14-18: Lk 10: 1-12. 17-20
Mon. July 7: Gn 28: 10-22a: Ps 91: 1-2. 3-4. 14-15ab: Mt 9: 18-26
Tues. July 8: Gn 32: 23-33: Ps 17: 1b. 2-3. 6-7ab. 8b and 15: Mt 9: 32-38
Wed. July 9: Gn 41: 55-57; 42: 5-7a. 17-24a: Ps 33: 2-3. 10-11. 18-19: Mt 10: 1-7
Thurs. July 10: Gn 44: 18-21. 23b-29; 45: 1-5: Ps 105: 16-17. 18-19. 20-21: Mt 10: 7-15
Fri. July 11: Gn 46: 1-7. 28-30: Ps 37: 3-4. 18-19. 27-28. 39-40: Mt 10: 1623
Sat. July 12: Gn 49: 29-32; 50: 15-26a: Ps 105: 1-2. 3-4. 6-7: Mt 10: 24-33
Sun. July 13: Dt 30: 10-14: Ps 69: 14. 17. 30-31. 33-34. 36. 37 OR Ps 19: 8. 9. 10. 11: Col 1: 15-20: Lk 10: 25-37
Mon. July 14: Ex 1: 8-14. 22: Ps 124: 1b-3. 4-6. 7-8: Mt 10: 34 11: 1
Tues. July 15: Ex 2: 1-15a: Ps 69: 3. 14. 30-31. 33-34: Mt 11: 20-24
Wed. July 16: Ex 3: 1-6. 9-12: Ps 103: 1b-2. 3-4. 6-7: Mt 11: 25-27
Thurs. July 17: Ex 3: 13-20: Ps 105: 1 and 5. 8-9. 24-25. 26-27: Mt 11: 2830
Fri. July 18: Ex 11: 10 12: 14: Ps 116: 12-13. 15 and 16bc. 17-18: Mt 12: 1-8
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel
Sunday, July 6 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, Providence ***
Sunday, July 13 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from St. Michael Church, Fall River ***
Sunday, July 20 at 7:00 p.m.
Broadcast from Espirito Santo Church, Fall River ***
Sunday, July 27 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, New Bedford
Sat. July 19: Ex 12: 37-42: Ps 136: 1 and 23-24. 10-12. 13-15: Mt 12: 14-21
Sun. July 20: Gn 18: 1-10a: Ps 15: 2-3. 3-4. 5 (1a): Col 1: 24-28: Lk 10: 3842
Mon. July 21: Ex 14: 5-18: Ex 15: 1bc-2. 3-4. 5-6: Mt 12: 38-42
Tues. July 22: Ex 14: 21 -- 15: 1: Ex 15: 8-9. 10 and 12. 17: Jn 20: 1-2. 11-18
Wed. July 23: Ex 16: 1-5. 9-15: Ps 78: 18-19. 23-24. 25-26. 27-28: Mt 13: 1-9
Thurs. July 24: Ex 19: 1-2. 9-11. 16-20b: Dn 3: 52. 53. 54. 55. 56: Mt 13: 10-17
Fri. July 25: 2 Cor 4: 7-15: Ps 126: 1bc-2ab. 2cd-3. 4-5. 6: Mt 20: 20-28
Sat. July 26: Ex 24: 3-8: Ps 50: 1b-2. 5-6. 14-15: Mt 13: 24-30
Sun. July 27: Gn 18: 20-32: Ps 138: 1-2. 2-3. 6-7. 7-8 (3a): Col 2: 12-14: Lk 11: 1-13
Mon. July 28: Ex 32: 15-24. 30-34: Ps 106: 19-20. 21-22. 23: Mt 13: 31-35
Tues. July 29: Ex 33: 7-11; 34: 5b-9. 28: Jn 11: 19-27 or Lk 10: 38-42
Wed. July 30: Ex 34: 29-35: Ps 99: 5. 6. 7. 9: Mt 13: 44-46
Thurs. July 31: Ex 40: 16-21. 34-38: Ps 84: 3. 4. 5-6a and 8a. 11: Mt 13: 4753
Fri. Aug 1: Lv 23: 1. 4-11. 15-16. 27. 34b-37: Ps 81: 3-4. 5-6. 10-11ab: Mt 13: 54-58
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, July 6 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father Leonard Kayondo, Chaplain at St. Anne’s Hospital, Fall River
Sunday, July 13 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father Andrew Johnson, Retired Priest of the Diocese of Fall River in residence at Corpus Christi Parish, East Sandwich
Sunday, July 20 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father Daniel M. Nunes, Chaplain at Charlton Memorial Hospital, Fall River
Sunday, July 27 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father John Garabedian, Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parishes, Seekonk, and Associate Director of Vocations, Diocese of Fall River
July 4, 2025
